The good folks over at Wandering Whale sent me an email announcing their Autumn Sale. You can now get 25% off (enter code AUTUMN at checkout) their entire Wandering Whale line from now until September 22. Be sure to check them out!

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how the iPhone app, iFlix, was Netflix Heaven on the iPhone. I’m happy to announce that heaven looks that much brighter for us iPhone toutingÂ Netflix subscribers! The iFlix team has been pretty busy as they have just released iFlix 2. And I have to say that every criticism that I had with iFlix version 1 has been addressed in the version 2 release.Â

First of all, the iFlix interface has seen an uplift in version 2 courtesy of Alex Marchuk (iFlix interface and website developer). The upgrade to the interface is not only pleasant to the eye but also made managing my Netflix queue that much easier.

One of the major gripes I had with the original release was the inability to select movies by format (DVD or Blu-ray). Now, when you search for a movie title, the search results bring back detailed information about each movie, including whether or not the movie is available in Blu-ray format. Being able to see Netflix ratings and MPAA ratings alongside the search results are added (and welcome) bonuses. Oh yeah, you can also browse by Blu-ray now as well.Â

I’m a bit envious of the people who can use the Watch Instantly feature on Netflix (I run a Mac and Netflix currently does not support Watch Instantly on the Macintosh). With Watch Instantly, you have access to movies and TV shows that you can watch directly on your PC or 3rd party media player like an XBox 360 or Roku Player. iFlix 2 now not only supports the regular Netlfix snail mail queue but also supports instant queue management, which means adding movies to view on your PC, Xbox 360, or Roku Player is that much easier.Â

iFlix has also improved on the rating system. Not only can you easily rate a movie from within iFlix but iFlix is intuitive enough to tell you which movies you’ve already rated by marking those ratings in yellow rather than the standard red.Â

I was fortunate enough to have a word with iFlix developer, Brent Jensen. Here’s what we talked about.

Coty: I noticed that Brent Jensen is not listed with the rest of the team of the iFlix 2 website, is Brent no longer affiliated with the project? If not, why?

Brent: That’s just me being modest. My name’s on it for the App Store, so I wasn’t too worried about the site. It looks like Alex took note after your question and has added my name to the site.

(Update: Alex has added Brent’s name to the footer of the iFlix homepage. We can all sleep better now, LOL.)

Coty: The iFlix homepage also has changed, from the specific iFlixMobile.com to the more general and encompassing iPhonevine.com. Does this mean that there will be more iPhone based apps coming from your team?

Brent: For now, Alex Marchuk is hosting the site because of his amazing skills with design (and my lack of love for website development). You may see more apps hosted here, either made by me, or something that Alex has collaborated on. I’d love to have time to work on a lot more great apps, but for now my day job and iFlix keep me too busy to take on much else. I am working with my brother on a word search game for the iPhone, but it’s got a ways to go.

Coty: iFlix has definitely helped to fill in the gap for Netflix users wanting a mobile solution. Why do you think Netflix has not released a native application on their own?

Brent: Larger companies are always going to be more hesitant to jump right into a new platform. Since releasing an app represents a commitment to the platform, especially for a big company, they’ve got to pick and choose where they’ll invest. I would love to work with Netflix on improving the application, or even releasing it oficially, if they were ever to express interest.

Coty: iFlix 2.0 has added some killer functionality, such as the ability to view and add Blu-ray titles to your queue, a new interface and the ability to have detailed info like ratings literally at our fingertips. Where does iFlix 2.0 go from here? What are some things that you still would like to improve on?

Brent: The major focus right now is on performance and stability. As far as new features (e.g. iFlix 3.0), those are all still in the brainstorming phase. I’m certainly open to suggestions. A big fix is on it’s way that drastically improves scrolling and drag reordering, along with a nasty bug that’s been keeping some users from enjoying the “Detailed Queue” feature of iFlix 2.0.

Coty: There have been some controversy over the way that Apple has handled the App Store, specifically with developers. For instance, Apple has received some flack for not allowing developers to openly discuss program development with other developers. What are your thoughts on this?

Brent: There certainly are some frustrations, for me mostly with the inability to have more control over updates and responding to reviewers. A lot of times a reviewer will express frustration, or say they wish there was this or that feature, and the feature is in iFlix, or there is a work around for their issue, but I’ve got no way of contacting them. It would also be really nice to be able to build a customer base with a contact list, but the App Store doesn’t allow for that. For the most part though, I think Apple has created a fantastic platform, and given me a way to get my software out there to be enjoyed by more users than might have ever been possible with the App Store.

*I’d like to thank Brent Jensen for taking the time to talk to me (much appreciated!) and Alex Marchuk for letting me know of the iFlix 2 updates (much appreciated as well!). Keep up the great work, iFlix team!

Kudo’s to Obama’s publicity/marketing team for reaching out to generation Web 2.0. In an ingenious move, whenever an intrepid Myspace user types in the url to their favorite site, MySpace.com and inadvertently misspells the url as MySpaec.comÂ (go ahead try the link) they get forwarded to Obama’sÂ campaign site.Â

This just goes to show how ingrained social networks like MySpace has become in society. In the 90’s candidates tapped into MTV. In 2008, they utilize Web 2.0. Both Obama and McCain have official MySpace and Facebook pages. Obama has more Twitter followers than Kevin Rose. More Followers than Digg king, Kevin Rose? Say what?!

How long before we see interactive political debates via Web 2.0 upstarts like Ustream and Seesmic? How long before viral videos, like the popular Barack RollÂ video, are initiated by the candidates themselves. The technology and networking tools that we have available to us today makes it possible to reach millions of people at the click of a button. These are powerful times. I’m glad to see our presidential candidates embracing the technology.Â

By the way, if you’re typing in a url to a site you probably visit multiple times a day then shame on you. It’s all about the bookmark bar.Â

The elections are quickly approaching and that means there are tons of presidential propaganda tees floating around. I’ve searched the net and have found 9 Obama tees, most in obvious support of the candidate and one, obviously with an agenda against the candidate. What do you guys think? Have you stumbled upon any Obama tees of interest?

Move On. Cool retro lookin’ Obama tee by the Move On people.Â

Obama. Those fingers are pointing at you. It’s up to you to make a choice.

Obama in ’08. This is probably the most controversial of the 9 tees here. Apparently it is being sold in a suburban Atlanta bar and the bar owner claims he is not racist. Yeah, right.

Super Obama. I love this shirt! And what makes this shirt 10x even more awesome is that it’s designed by Alex Ross.

Obama. Lovely vector artwork by Cloxboy at Design by Humans.

B.A. Obama. A-Team Fan?

Terminator. Yeah, he’ll be back. Hopefully for the next 8 years. As president.

Obama is the New Black.

Barack to the Future. If you’re a geek (that’s a good thing) then this is the shirt for you!

I’ve been really digging the new self-titled solo album by Bright Eyes frontman, Conor Oberst. I have to say that the album is very Bob Dylan like, very introspective and very soothing. The album was released in early August but I’ve only recently started playing it (over and over). If you’re into the singer/songwriter/acoustic genre then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t like Conor Oberst. Here’s a video of him performing on the Late Late Show.

I used up your compassionÂ
So I’ve come to make a trade
You can hate me but just love me in return
And if I know where to find you
I’ll stay out of your way
I won’t come beg to borrow all the happiness you earned

I’ll just slide back down to the bottom
While you make your place in the hills

They say the sun won’t burn forever
but that’s a science too exact
I can prove it –
Watch, we’re crossing the state line
See those headlights coming towards us?
That’s someone going back
To a town they said they’d never,yeah –
They swore it on their lives

Some would spend their precious time
trying to decorate their lives
Taking measurements for some new look they want

So from one to ten – ten’s exactly what I am
Zero being everything I’m not

Tell me what you like
Is it less than five?
Is it less than five?

There’s nothing that the road cannot heal
There’s nothing that the road cannot heal
When I make it to Moab
I’ll get my canteen filled
There’s nothing that the road cannot heal
Washed under the blacktop
Gone beneath my wheels
There’s nothing that the road cannot heal

Wooshka, Wooshka, Wooshka! There’s a huge 40-70% off sale at Wooshka. Tee’s that normally sell for 20 bucks can be had for around $9 to $12 depending on design. The sale runs through September 18 so be sure to get your Wooshka gear before the sale ends!

I kicked off the Indie Tee Spotlight last week by highlighting Eric Terry’s brand, Linty Fresh. Now in my quest to find the next great indie tee maker to spotlight I thought I’d go straight to my mailbox and highlight a company from which I received a freshly purchased tee from.Â

The Pyknic brand mantra is “Life’s a Pyknic so eat it up!” and it’s fair enough to say that their clothing line more than fits the slogan. With funky and loud t-shirt designs that sport typical things you’d find at picnic, Marshall has found a sweet spot that is as appealing to junior high kids as it is to college students.Â

We were fortunate enough to chat it up with Pyknic duder Stephen Thompson.

Coty: How did you come up with the idea of using typical picnic stuff as the centerpiece of your designs and ultimately your brand?

Pyknic: Well for two years we were geared at the surf-skate-snow market. It is very hard to compete against big brands with great brand recognition on international scales (ie. Billabong, Quicksilver, etc.) with huge budgets. When we took a step back and looked at the overall picture: why would consumers or stores buy our shirt versus one by Billlabong, for instance, with similar designs? It would not matter if ours was better, they had a name to go with theirs.

So one night we went to Red Lobster and that’s when we turned our [picnic] tables. We thought of a new direction we could take the brand that was logical to our name and could create its own niche. Weird or not, people enjoy food as much as they do clothing. The two together would be dessert.

Coty:Â I’ve read that you use “contracted artists.” What percentage of the designs that actually make it to print are your own work as compared to those that are outsourced?Â

Pyknic:Â A lot (if not all) of the shirts are actually concepts that we have created and thought out. We’re very fortunate to work with some great artists that can also see our vision and execute.Â

Coty:Â You’re known in the indie tee world for making it big by actually scoring a deal with Hot Topic. How did that come about? Do you plan on connecting with other retailers? Do you have any plans for international domination?!

Pyknic:Â It was a last minute decision but we decided to attend Bamboozle Left. Upon returning home, I received an email from a Hot Topic buyer who was actually out at the event and loved the shirts. After a few phone call meetings, we got things rolling and eventually started putting merchandise in the stores.

I actually just got back from Magic Tradeshow and Agenda Tradeshow. There were a good amount of stores interested and either placed orders or planned on emailing that over. Right now most of our accounts are international. We have taken Europe, Asia, and Australia by storm. Most recently we distributed our newest line to all of them.Â

Coty:Â Pyknic has turned into a nice venture for you. Do you plan on continuing the brand after college? Where do you see Pyknic in the next 3 to 5 years?Â

Pyknic:Â Next year the Chef and I plan on moving out to California where we will be close to different production sources. Most of our products are sent out there as well so it only makes sense.Â

In the next 3 to 5 years, I see us in more major US outlets with the possibility of our own.

Coty:Â Any words of inspiration for up and coming indie tee designers wanting to make it big?

Pyknic:Â I think the most important thing is to be unique. The last thing anyone wants to do is get lost in the shuffle. Very cliche but practice makes perfect, no one’s a hit overnight.Â

When we started this brand three years ago, we saw ourselves in this position eventually. We knew it took a lot of work to get to this point but we were willing to do whatever it took. “If you can dream it…”

*Special thanks to Stephen for chatting it up with us! Be on the look out for next weeks Indie Tee Spotlight! And if you’re an Indie Tee Designer and would like to be featured here then please feel free to contact me to find out how you can do just that.

Are you a budding t-shirt designer? If so then you are probably trying to find ways to promote your designs and ultimately have them printed. Traditionalist would probably argue that the best way to get your tee design printed is to, well, print it yourself. This can be a time consuming and expensive process. Lucky for us we are a part of the interactive age of Web 2.0 where things can get done faster and easier.

Here I talk about 5 popular and ongoing t-shirt design contests. This can be a great way for indie designers to get their feet wet in the tee business. And even if you submit a tee design to one of these communities and your design does not get selected for print, you will still probably get valuable community feedback on your design. On the other hand, if your designs do get selected then get ready for a nice pay day!

Each of these sites have different rules and guidelines so be sure to read them before you submit your designs. Some of these sites retain exclusive rights to submitted designs whereas other sites allow the artists to retain exclusive rights.

1. Threadless. How it Works: The competition here is tough and the voting and comments during the selection process is brutal, but, if your design is selected you’ll be part of an elite group of Threadless approved t-shirt designers! Shirts chosen for print will be produced in limited amounts, once the print has sold out, it will not be offered for sale unless is is chosen for reprint (not all designs are reprinted).Â Selection Process:Submitted designs are posted on Threadless and users vote for their favorite designs. Threadless staff then go through the top designs and select which are to be printed. Rights:Â If your design is submitted and chosen to be printed as a Threadless then Threadless assumes exclusives rights to the design.Â Pay Day: $2000 in cash and a $500 Threadless gift certificate for each design chosen to be printed. Plus, you get $500 each time your tee design is reprinted. And finally if you’re tee is chosen for print you have a chance at winning up to $10,000 in the yearly Threadless “Bestee” Awards. Official Rules.

2. TeeFury. How it Works: TeeFury members are able to submit designs directly to TeeFury for consideration. When submitting your design they also suggest that you submit a link to your portfolio or website or anything that provides examples of your work. Shirts that are chosen are showcased on TeeFury for just 24 hours. Selection Process: Designs are selected by the TeeFury staff. Rights: The artists retains all rights to their designs and can do what they want with their designs after the shirt spends its time (max of 24 hours) on TeeFury. Pay Day: Artists are paid $1 for each shirt sold within the 24 hour period. Official Rules.Â

3. Shirt.Woot. How it Works: You can submit your designs to Shirt.Woot directly here or you can enter the weekly Shirt.Woot Derby. Every Thursday new Derby themes are announced and the following Friday submissions are accepted. Selection Process: The three most popular designs as voted by Shirt.Woot users get chosen to be printed and sold to the world! Designs submitted directly to Shirt.Woot are selected by the Shirt.Woot staff for print.Â Rights: Shirt.Woot retains 60 day exclusiveÂ (cannot submit to other contests or produce commercially)Â rights for all art design submissions. Shirt.Woot retains a 180 days exclusive rights for all Best of Derby Nominated shirts. If with thin the 60 or 180 time span the shirt is not chosen for print the then Shirt.Woot waives exclusive rights, meaning the artist can do what he likes with the design. Shirt.Woot has exclusive perpetual rights to your design if it is chosen to be produced.Â Pay Day: $1000 per winning design and $2 per shirt sold after the first day of sale. Official Rules.Â

4. Uneetee. How it Works:Â Artists submit t-shirt designs and if selected the tees are offered at Uneetee on a limited run basis. Selection Process:Â Unetee users vote for their favorite designs. Design stays up for voting for a a max of 21 days. Designs with the highest scores have an increased chance of being selected by Uneetee staff as the shirt of the week. Rights: Uneetee get exclusive rights to the design if the shirt is chosen. The designer cannot reproduce the winning design for commercial purposes. Pay Day: $750 ($750 guaranteed cash and $750 guaranteed commissions). If you sell more than the guaranteed run of 375 shirts than you can earn more than $750 commission (royalties are $2 per shirt).Â Official Rules.Â

5. Design by Humans. How it Works:Â Designers submit art, this can be traditionalÂ paintings, illustrations, sketches, vector art, photoshop art, or however you like to design). If submitting traditional art then you must digitize your design (snap a pic of it). Design should be formatted and submitted either as a GIF, JPG, or PNG. Once your design is ready you submit it here. Selection Process:Â Design by Humans users vote for their favorite designs and designs with the most votes are chosen for print. Five shirt of the day winners are chosen each week ($750). Of the five shirt of the day winners, one shirt is chosen as shirt of the week ($1000). Each month, one of the shirt of the week winners is chosen as short of the month ($1750). Plus, designers get paid based on how many shirts they sell (1000 shirts = $500 up to 10,000 shirts = $5000). Rights: After 60 days of submitting designs artists are then free to o what they like with their designs. If your design is selected for print then DBH retains exclusive rights. Â Pay Day:Â Up to $3500 plus residuals. Rights.Â Official Rules.

Those of you who saw that ad on eBay regarding visiting the set of Spider-Man 4, but was hesistent to place a bid, might kick themselves (auction went for $28,100) when they find out Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi have reportedly been locked in for Spider-Man 4 and potentially Spider-Man 5. As reported first on Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily blog, the popular actor and director will be back for the 3rd and 4th sequel in the hugely successful Spider-Man franchise. To my chagrin, Sony wants Kirsten Dunst back to play the part of Mary Jane, but not deal has been made thus far.

Principal photography for James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, The Rundown) penned Spider-Man 4 will not begin until next fall, in time for a May 2011 release. Sony is reportedly pushing to have Spider-Man 4 and 5 shot back to back, much like what Disney did with The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.Â

There has also been talk of who the main villain may be in Spider-Man 4. Although no one has officially signed on for a villain role in Spider-Man 4, most of the speculation points to Dylan Baker’s character of Dr. Curt Connors (Peter Parker’s college professor), who appeared in Spider-Man 3. Comic afficionado’s know that Dr. Connors turns into Dr. Lizard in comic books. Will we see the Lizard in Spider-Man 4? Other rumored villains include Black Cat, Vulture and Carnage, but some insiders think that these villains might be saved for a possible Venom spin-off.Â

Are you guys excited for a back-to-back Spider-Man 4 and 5? Or are you guys web slinging hopeless romantic?

I LOVE t-shirts, especially one-of-a-kind indie T-Shirts that are available online. A nice T-Shirt is like eye candy, it’ll make your eyes drool and mouth all wattery (ok, that hardly made any sense). So, in lieu of the Glorious Nonsensities podcast I thought that every week or so I would highlight a couple of indie tee designers whose work I admire and whose tees I wear!

For the inaugaral post I thought I would start off with a brand that I just learned about a month ago, and that brand is Linty Fresh. Linty Fresh was started by Eric Terry, who runs Linty Fresh out of his home in Marietta, Georgia. It all started for him when he began submitting tees into the never ending Threadless design competitions. His design, Once Upon A War, although was not selected to be printed, earned him positive reviews and more importantly, tee cred! And so Eric decided that he would do a limited print of Once Upon A War and offer it up for pre-sale. To his surprise, people were buying the shirt, and thus the Linty Fresh, or the beginnings of Linty Fresh, was born!Â

Now if you notice Eric’s designs, many of them contain characters that look quite similar, with the mouth being the defining characteristic (in my opinion, Eric might disagree). Nonetheless his branding efforts are obvious and effective. I even think that his characters have the potential to go mainstream, they’ve got delicious-I-want-to-squeeze-you feel like those adorable Sanrio characters.Â

The price points at Linty Fresh are in line with other indie tee brands. Tee’s are usually in the 20 buck range and hoodies in the 40 buck range. If those sound expensive don’t fret, I’ve bought Linty Fresh shirts for as little as 5 bucks, you just need to be on the look out for special discounts (In fact, he’s got a 5 bucks shirt on sale right now). The shirts themselves are made from American Apparel tees, so you know they are sweatshop free! And the actual product that you receive in the mail is quite professional. So if you like what you see here, be sure to check Linty Fresh out on the web! And let me know what you think of his designs and what companies you think I should check out for the next Indie Tee Spotlight.